Another unforgettable day in Santa Monica. We are up nice and early to a slightly overcast morning. 

We still breakfast outside, as even a ‘bad  day’ here is like the best British summer you can remember.

Grabbing some beach towels and a Palihouse Frisbee. Its a short walk to the sandy shores. Its nice and quiet at this time and the sun is starting to peak through the clouds.
I make a dash for the sea and its initially shockingly cold. It doesn’t take long til we are both riding the waves and accidently swallowing a bit too much water. Memories of yesterdays Japadog return to me at this point.

A morning of sun, sand and salt gives way to lunch at Farthers Burger. As we head away from the now busy beach and pier. Father’s Office is a quieter spot in comparison and we feel like one of the locals as we enter.

A pint of ‘Bear Rebulic Racer 5’ for me and a ‘Ninkasi Ginger & Juice’ for Vic. Oh and 2 ‘Office Burgers’.

As the menu on the wall proudly states there’s ‘No substitutions or  deletions’ allowed, and before taking the first bite, we are not sure if the blue cheese this burger features will be to our tastes.
We couldn’t have been more wrong, one bite of these juicy burgers and you forget all about the individual components. In fact the full ingredients of the main topping are a secret. Its a sort of onion chutney, with bacon of course, this is America. 
The cheese is blend of different styles as well, the tang from the cheese cuts through the sweeter taste of the onions, and the whole thing melts in your mouth. 

2 pints each and we head out of Father’s Office full and merry. Hiring some bikes to ride along the boardwalk by the beach now seems a great idea.

They have a bike share system like many cities now. Branded by ‘Hulu’ which we keep calling Hooli bikes instead.

Riding a bike down the beach is a great way to experience the sights and soak up some of the California lifestyle, as you dodge  pedestrian’s, skateboards, roller skaters and other modes of transportation I don’t even know what to call.
Bikes in particular are big, with many people having sound systems to rival your average car, and at night many are tricked out with light shows to rival those of the Santa Monica pier.

We end up at Venice Beach again,much quicker this time. A highlight today is watching the roller skaters gathering to  dance with the music blasting out from a big sound system. There are all sorts of people joing in, not just your stereotypical ‘Cali Beach Girls’. Some freestyle, like the bloke with an awsome mustache, while others join in a sort of line dance lead by a couple of girls. 

A low light of the day and probably the only disappointment of the trip is the Venice Beach Freak Show. Yeah I know, it sounds awful, but we have watched these guys on TV and felt like maybe meeting them would be a good experience. But even at $5 dollars we felt cheated by the short show in a stuffy tent, where I nearly fainted.
We wander the street artists and shops of Venice, although only buying a replacement pair of sunglasses, mine been lost to the ocean this morning.

More bike riding, a quick change, and a Lyft, we are thrust into the hustle and bustle of Cha Cha Chicken. We hit here just after 9pm, as it closes at 10pm

Another place where we feel away from the tourists and really soak up some local ambiance. We don’t realise its BYOB (the second B is Beer!). 

After ordering various chicken dishes (all Jerked) at the ‘hole in the wall’ we are nestled between tables of revelers with bottle of Bacardi and Vodka. As we sip our diet cokes. Free refills though!

The food is tasty and slightly on the firey side. Nothing we cant handle with a few refills of our cokes. A real authentic eatery and a place to remember. 

The night ends on Santa Monica pier. Its around 10:30pm but with this being Labor Day weekend, the pier is still a buzz with all sorts of people, the big wheel and ‘West Coaster’ are all lit up and dominate the pier, and we can’t resist taking another ride on both to finish the night.

And then its to bed to rest before more thrills at Universal Studios tomorrow.